Which Value Resort do you prefer?

[Mommy_Jen]

Hi,

We are going to Disney the first week in March. I have currently 4 nights booked at AKL CL, but due to the cost I'm considering dropping the first night there and staying at a value resort. We will be coming in late that first day and are thinking I can save over $250 to stay value the first night. We are actually staying in another part of Florida and my husband now wants to stay another night there versus at Disney because of cost. So I'm thinking maybe I can convince him of a value for a night. Then get up,head to a park and check in at AKL after.

Thanks for any advise.

 

[CTH3]

This is sort of a sideways answer, and I don't intend to dismiss the idea of staying at a Value, but here's what my DW and I do under what are perhaps similar circumstances:

Since we arrive in Orlando after a 7-hour drive in late afternoon or early evening, we stay our first night in the area in a decent nearby but off property hotel. The advantages of doing this are:

• It's significantly less expensive than even a Value resort at Disney ($75 versus $135) for what is, frankly, a nicer hotel room.
• Since the day's already pretty much gone when we arrive, we don't really need access to the parks that first evening. We go to DTD or just have a nice off-property dinner and go to bed, ready to start fresh in the morning.
• We pick a hotel with a decent free breakfast, another savings.
• The next morning we start our Disney experience fresh and raring to go, rather than tired and stressed from a long drive. More magical, we think.
• Since we can check into our Disney resort the next morning as early as we like (though not get our room, of course), we can get our KTTK cards and start having fun right away.

We could do the same thing staying at a Value, of course, but we think it would be weird staying on property without being able to go to the parks, so we'd have to purchase another day of tickets. And while we've never done it, we both fear we'd sort of get the bends (so to speak) moving from a Value to a Deluxe overnight. And frankly, we like getting a fresh start, awake and non-crabby, for our Disney vacation.

Anyway, another alternative for you to consider.

 

[Darkside]

I would try ALL Star Sports. It is usually less crowded unless there is some sort of competition going on. Buses are first to pick up and first to drop off. When you get up the next morning you can request that bell services deliver you luggage to AKL. Go play at the park, because your room may not be ready until 3pm anyways, guest services can call you when room is ready and have your luggage delivered to your room. I have done this many times, with no issues.

 

[SOnotLayuh]

I hate the all stars! If I had to stay value it's be Pop.